The Odyssey Introduction Notes

I. Background
A. originally told by _______________________________
B. the translation we are reading was translated by ________________________________
C. The Odyssey is a _______________ to the _____________________ (dates ____________________________)
D. The Iliad focuses on the days toward the _______________ of the ______________________ ________________
* Date _____________________________
E. The Odyssey focuses on one of the ____________________ who fought in the _______________ ______________
returning home ____________ years after the war -- __________________________________
F. The Iliad and the Odyssey together were considered ______________ to the Greeksmuch like the
__________________ to many people today
G. Neither books were _______________ down but both were originally ________________ ___________________
II. The Trojan War
A. Spartan King __________________s wife ______________ left him for the young Prince _______________ of
________________
B. __________________, brother of Menelaus, led the siege
C. In the Trojan War, Odysseus was not only strong, but also for being a _________________________________ hero
D. Greek forces were ___________________________
III. Odysseus: Hero of the Odyssey
A. Wife: ___________________________________

Son: ______________________________

B. Odysseus originally tried to _____________________________________ by ________________________________

C. However, he want and actually came up with the ____________________________ trick that led to the sack of Troy
IV. Homer
A. Homer was _____________________
B. He was a ________________________ from the island of ____________________
C. Historians and entertainers of Homers time did not _______________________________________________
V. The Epic
A. An epic is a _____________________________ about the adventures of a ________________
B. Epics usually embody the _________________ of the __________________ for which they are written
C. The Iliad and the Odyssey were used in ___________________ to teach ___________________ virtues
1. Values: (1) ___________________ (2) ___________________ (3) ___________________ (4)
___________________ (5) ___________________ (6) ___________________

2. Major Faults: (1) ___________________ (2) ___________________ (3) ___________________

D. The Iliad is the primary model for the ______________ of _________________
E. The Odyssey is the primary model for the _______________ of _________________________
F. The term _____________ if also applied to _________________, ___________________, and _________________
G. Epics also
1. incorporate ______________, _________________, __________________, and __________________
2. reflect the _________________ of the _________________ from which they ____________________
3. tone: ___________________________________ What does THAT mean?
4. heroes and adventures appear __________________________ than ________________________
5. begin ____________________________ (Latin for ______________________________________)
6. begin with an ________________ or ___________________ to a _______________ or ____________
7. always begin with a statement of ______________________________
8. contain many epithets ______________________ What is THAT?!
9. contain ________________, __________________________ speeches by characters
10. frequently have _____________________ ________________________ What is THAT?!?!
VI. The Epic Hero:
1.
4.
VII. Three Major Plot Strands

2.
5.

3.
6.

A.
* also known as the _________________________
B.
C.
VIII. Myths
A. Explains
___________________________________________________________________________________________
B. Emphasized the weakness of __________________: ______________________________________________________
C. Greek Mythology
1.
2.
3.

X. Literary Devices
Device
Epic
Epic Hero
Epic (Homeric) Simile
Tragic Flaw
Imagery
Irony
In media res
Foreshadowing
Symbolism
Flashback

Definition